The present invention relates to a golf putter and a method of putting. More particularly, the putter according to the present invention is specifically designed for use with a modified putting style wherein the golfer reaches across the hole and uses the putter in a pulling motion in directing the ball towards the hole. The putting method according to the present invention complies with current rules of golf as promulgated by the Royal and Ancient Golf Association as well as the United States Golf Association
In an effort to improve the putting performance of golfers, prior golf club putters have been provided with a variety of head and shaft constructions and arrangements. In that the putt is perhaps the single most difficult yet important shot in golf, the selection of these components which match the golfer both physically and mentally is important. Approximately one half of the allotted strokes on any given golf course in order to achieve an even par round are putts.
Before a player can even stroke the ball on a putting surface of a green, the player must visually examine the contour of the putting surface and judge its effect on the path of the ball rolling toward the hole from the current position of the ball. Other characteristics of the putting surface or other factors can also have a significant effect on the path of a put already stroked and rolling towards the hole. In this regard, given the various putting strokes utilized by individuals, it is necessary to design a putter construction which can not only be utilized by various players having various putting strokes, but also by a single player who may have a varying putting stroke depending upon the length of the putt.
As noted above, golf courses are designed and standards for scoring are set based on the assumption that a player will be able to hit the ball onto the putting surface in two strokes less than par for each hole. Once the ball is on the putting surface, the player is allowed two putts to stroke the ball into the hole in order to play the hole at even par. Thus, an 18-hole course is designed to allow 36 putts in a round of golf played at even par. Accordingly, a premium is placed on making a second putt when a first putt of a longer distance not falling in the hole, settles relatively close to the hole and within a distance of less than two feet. Many a golf tournaments are won and lost by the players ability to make short and what may appear to be relatively simple putts. However, as one of the most recent major golf tournaments will attest, making putts of this distance is not a guarantee.
As noted hereinabove, in an effort to improve the putting performance of golfers, prior golf club putters have been provided with a variety of head and shaft constructions and arrangements. One such putter has an elongated cylindrical head with a conventional straight shaft attached to the head and in alignment with the longitudinal axis of the head. Further, putters such as those similar to that illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,508,342 include an elongated head and a shaft having a shank and an offset portion adjacent its lower end which is connected to the elongated head at a point immediately adjacent the center of the head between the proposed ends thereof. In accordance with that disclosed in such patent, the point at which the offset portion of the shaft is connected to the head is also offset transversely from the longitudinal axis of the head so that it lies between this axis and the back of the head. This is presumed to provide the player with a better view of the ball and putter head when putting. However, it is not possible to utilize this putter in carrying out the putting stroke in accordance with the present invention as will be discussed in greater detail hereinbelow.
Numerous putter designs similar to that discussed hereinabove have been developed over the years. Many of these putters having various materials from which the putter head is made. These materials may add to or take away from the overall weight of the putter in order to provide a better feel to the user. Various materials are illustrated, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,447,310, where the head includes a rounded striking surface wherein the heal and toe portions are of a greater weight than the central portion. Additionally, putter heads may take on a variety of configurations which reduce the frictional component of the putter or improve the balance and feel of the putter with respect to the user.
A noted contemporary instructor on putting, Dave Pells, has studied the effects of misalignment relative to a target line due to the putters swing path, the putter face and the optimum hitting location on the putter surface each of which effect the ultimate putting success. As noted in U.S. Pat. No. 6,152,832, Mr. Pell""s has found that all three types of misalignment caused significant error in the putting stroke and thus decrease the chance of the ball going into the hole. However, it is clear that misalignment of the putter face with respect to a line-of-putt causes the largest deviation from the players intended path of any particular putt. In order to reduce the possibility of misalignment of the putter face, path and hitting location, Mr. Pells"" recommends that the players"" putting stroke start with the optimum hitting location on the putting face immediately adjacent the ball and that the stroke travel along a path aligned with the target line with the face remaining perpendicular to the target line for the entire stroke. However, when a player swings the putter around the spine only, such a stroke often times does not result. In effect, the putter path corresponds to the target line at only one point at its arc and the face is perpendicular to the target line at only one point in its arc and those two points do not necessarily coincide. Thus, to execute a stroke in a path along a target line and with a square putter face while using a traditional putting stance and stroke requires a complex combination of multi-access rotational movements. Executing such a multi-access stroke in a manner that accomplishes the primary and complex task of causing the ball to roll smoothly along a precise path at a precise speed renders the most difficult and important stroke even more difficult.
Some of the most common practice aids and drills in golf are designed purely to enable players to engrain this complex, cumbersome multi-axis putting stroke into their muscle memory. Other players simply concentrate on swinging the putter around only their spine and training themselves to hit the ball at the precise moment in time when the putter path, face and hitting location are correctly aligned with the target line. Thus, both wildly adopted approaches to executing the traditional putter stroke suffer from disadvantages that interfere with the ultimate goal, putting the ball into the hole.
As will become clear from the following detailed description, the present invention is directed to a putter and a method of putting very short putts, i.e., within one to two feet of the hole. During such short puts, the alignment of the putter face perpendicular to the putting line is critical in that a very small degree of deviation from this perpendicular will result on the putt either falling to the left or right of the hole rather than being directly on line. With putts of ten feet or more, such alignment while critical is not the sole essence of the putt in that speed and the surface of the green will aid in directing the ball towards the hole. Moreover, a golfer who performs a putting stroke on a twenty or more foot putt with the ball coming to rest within a few inches of the hole would be quite satisfied with the putt; however, a golfer having a one to two foot putt which passes the hole only xc2xcxe2x80x3 outside the rim of the hole clearly would not be satisfied. Accordingly, it is imperative on such putts that the putting face remain perpendicularly oriented with respect to the line of the putt in that speed and the terrain of the putting surface is less important at such distances. Accordingly, if a golfer is less apt to miss what can be determined as a short putt, the golfer""s ability to finish the hole within the requisite number of putts will be greatly enhanced.
The objects, features and advantages of the present invention are to provide a golf club putter and method of putting which complies with the rules of golf as promulgated by the Royal and Ancient Golf Association as well as the United States Golf Association and which provides the player with an improved view of the ball and head of the putter when putting putts of a short distance and an improved balance and feel of the club during such putts. Additionally, the method of putting in accordance with the present invention provides a putting stroke which aids the golfer in carrying out a putting stroke which maintains the putting face of the putter in a perpendicular orientation which respect to the line-of-putt. That is, the method set forth in accordance with the present invention compensates for an inaccurate swing so that when the putter head strikes the ball it is at a right angle with respect to the desired path of travel of the ball thereby compensating for the golfer""s tendency to deviate the putter face from the perpendicular orientation with respect to the line-of-putt.
In accordance with the present invention, a method of putting a golf ball in a green of a golf course by a golfer is set forth and includes the steps of standing on an opposing side of a golf hole from the golf ball resting a surface of the green, addressing an extending line of the putt extending from the golf ball through the golf hole, extending a golf putter from the opposing side of the golf hole and positioning the putter head of the golf putter behind the golf ball with respect to the golf hole, resting the putter head of the golf putter on the surface of the green behind the ball and drawing the putter head of the golf putter toward the golf hole thereby striking the golf ball on a side of the golf ball opposing the golf hole such that the golf ball travels towards the hole. When addressing the extended line-of-putt, the golfer positions their feet on opposing sides of the extended line of the putt and preferably the feet of the golfer are spaced in equal distance from the extended line of the putt. The method may also be carried out with on foot on the extended line of the putt or both feet on the same side of the extended line of the putt; however, greater accuracy is achieved when straddling the extended line of the putt.
When resting the putter head on the surface of the green behind the ball, the golfer positions the length of the putter head substantially perpendicular to the extended line-of-putt such that the drawing of the putter head toward the golf ball includes sliding the putter head on the surface of the green which removes one of the components of maintaining the putter head perpendicular to the line-of-putt less variable. Additionally, when extending the golf putter from the opposing side of the golf hole, the golfer can align at least a portion a shaft of the golf putter along the extended line-of-putt thereby enhancing the alignment of the putter head.
Such a method can be carried out utilizing a putter including a putter head where a length of the putter head is greater than the width of the putter head, a flange secured to and extending along a length of the putter head, a shaft extending from the flange and having a first end secured to the flange and a grip secured to a second end of the shaft. Such that at least a portion of the shaft extends substantially transversely to the flange and is aligned with a central portion of the putter head. The putter head is preferably substantially cylindrical having a length which is greater than its diameter with the flange being of a thickness less than a diameter of the putter head. Further, the flange is preferably of a length substantially equal to that of the putter head and may take on a triangular configuration. With such triangular configuration, the shaft would preferably extend from an apex of the triangle and consequently be centered with respect to a putting surface of the putter head.
These as well as additional advantages of the present invention will become apparent of the following detailed description of the present invention when read in light of the several figures.